CLEVELAND CLINIC - October is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Awareness Month and earlier this year, the American Academy of Pediatrics updated its sleep guidelines for infants, which emphasize the need for babies to sleep on their backs. Specifically on a flat, non-inclined surface, without any kind of soft bedding.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, approximately 3,500 infants die from sleep-related deaths in the United States every year. The updated guidelines include quite a few changes, including not using car seats, strollers, swings, and infant carriers, for routine sleep. In addition, they should avoid the use of commercial devices that claim to reduce the risk of SIDS, or other sleep-related deaths. Products claiming to increase sleep safety may provide a false sense of security and complacency for caregivers. Doctors say that also goes for cardio-respiratory monitors, which can give false readings.
"You get a lot of false positive alarms with those, they're not necessarily all accurate and I think if you have a device like that, it might make you a little bit laxed on following the guidelines and making sure that your baby is in that safe space to sleep," explained Dr. Gina Robinson, Cleveland Clinic Children's.
Dr. Robinson says if you have any concerns about these sleep guidelines, it's important to talk with your child's pediatrician.
